


Cryptage Prompts

by HelloHeadquarters



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:34:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25320955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelloHeadquarters/pseuds/HelloHeadquarters
Summary: Prompts! :)
Relationships: Crypto | Park Tae Joon/Mirage | Elliott Witt
Comments: 15
Kudos: 132





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This week's prompt was "Love at first sight, rivalry at first word."

"You'd have to ask yourself, really, wouldn't you? I mean, of all the available, less ostentatious colours in the world, why the hell would you ever go with _yellow? _"__

__"Well, he's not exactly trying to hide, sweetheart. Remember, those decoy things of his shine just as bright."_ _

__"Ugh, gross Mom."_ _

__Mystik chuckled as beside her on the sofa, Mila jammed her bare toes beneath her mother's thigh. They were watching the latest match rerun. Mystik had missed it live due to work and had spent most of the day clamping her hands over her ears and singing loudly if anyone dared to try to tell her the outcome._ _

__Mila and Tae Joon had stopped by to visit, and also have a small celebration of their own. They had just been contracted by the people who ran the Games to work on the software for the camera drones. It was a relief for them both; Mila had been slinging double shifts at a disgusting burger joint for the last two months and Tae Joon had been desperately trying to find something that didnt involve a uniform and a name tag for a while now._ _

__He'd just thrown their names into the ring on the offchance and then had woken that morning to find a message on his computer, asking them to start at their earliest convenience, and it finally looked like there'd be proper food in the fridge for a change, and maybe even take out once a week again._ _

__He'd never actually even watched a single second of the bloodsport. It wasn't really his thing, too violent, but he figured he didn't need to know about it to capture it through a lens. Mystik, on the other hand, was a huge fan of the thing, especially the one Legend, Mirage or something equally stupid, who apparently was smart with holo tech _and_ extremely easy on the eyes._ _

__He let out a small huff of derision but looked up from his laptop anyway, just in time to see Mirage vault across a railing and fall to his knees beside some bleeding out competitor in a mask._ _

___Holy crap._ _ _

__As he watched the man on the screen slam a syringe into the chest of his fallen teammate, Tae Joon felt his throat constrict. His breath caught in his chest as his mouth fell open slightly, pulse suddenly racing. He had never really been one for the whole 'love at first sight' thing, but... wow._ _

__Mirage really was, well, stunning. Handsome and strong and capable and maybe the fact that he had been in the middle of saving someone's life hadn't hurt the effect either. Tae Joon's eyes were locked to the screen as Mirage hefted the other person to their feet with one strong, fluid movement, before taking the rifle from his back and sprinting off once more towards a large, square building._ _

__The view switched to a different legend, a small woman with her dark hair drawn into a bun, but Tae Joon could hardly see her at all. His head was swimming with images of Mirage, as if the mere sight of him had been burned into his mind, and it was only after he'd managed to tear his eyes away from the screen that his fingers started moving of their own accord on his laptop, typing the word Mirage into the search bar._ _

__He spent the rest of the match reading the man's profile, (his real name was Elliott Witt, apparently, and Tae Joon kind of liked that more than Mirage), and his whole bio was the verbal form of a wink and finger guns. Not Tae Joon's usual type, not by a long shot, but what did it matter if the most he was ever going to do was look?_ _

__-_ _

__'Good start, Tae,' he thought to himself as his fingers tightened around the wrist of the squirming trickster. 'Way to keep a low profile.' He released Mirage... Elliott... whoever, and smirked at him. Standing there dressed like the brand new man he had been forced to become, all sharp edges and unearned confidence, Tae Joon was suddenly all too aware of what was at stake, of what he had to lose, and he couldn't spend a single second of his borrowed time cosying up to anyone else on that ship. Elliott had been the first to approach him, the first to speak to him and so it was that Elliott became the example of just how well 'Crypto' received such things._ _

__It was just typical of his life, he thought as he shuffled to the platform, ready for the drop. He'd spent the last few months practically drooling into his own lap whenever Elliott was on the screen in front of him, and then made the guy immediately hate him once he met him for real._ _

__Elliott pushed his shoulder and threw out a snarky comment just as the medic, Lifeline, reached the end of her rope at his come back and shoved them both from the ship._ _

__Probably for the best, Tae Joon told himself as they plummeted towards the frozen ground. He couldn't afford to be distracted._ _


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This week's prompt was 'Just married'.

Tae Joon had considered the fact that this quest for the truth, for revenge, would be dangerous as he knotted a faded blue tie around his neck. That he would find himself in perilous situations, and that sometimes he would be forced to do things that he never would have thought of doing before.

Of course, he'd been thinking murder and maybe a little blackmail. 

Not getting married to Elliott goddamn Witt. 

The thing was, it was all so _stupid_ , too. Sure, perhaps the credentials he'd handed over to the Syndicate with a nervous smile and shaking hands had been entirely his own fabrication, but he had been fairly certain that once he actually got into the Games and started raking in the cash as Crypto, they'd stop looking so hard at his made up papers and start looking at their bank balance instead.

At first, that had been exactly how it had gone down. He'd nestled his way into the Games and had carved out enough of a place for himself now that it was almost as if he had always been there. Of course, that place was dark and hidden in the shadows, quiet and closed off and absolutely intolerant of tresspassers, but he was, at least, _established_. Useful. Worth not pissing off by holding his credentials under a microscope, or at least so he had thought. 

Then a month or so ago, some bigwig from the accounting department had come to him and told him there were a few discrepancies with his information. He'd smiled and said it was all fine and he'd get the relevant paperwork to them in due course, then shut the door on the accountant's smiling yet doubtful face and had a minor meltdown beneath his duvet. Then he had emerged an hour or so later with a renewed vigour borne of the fact that after everything he had been through, he wasn't about to be taken down by a nerd with a pocket protector.

The first thing to do was to find out what the problem was, and then use his not unimpressive hacking skills to make that problem go away.

Apparently the account into which his credits were paid had thrown up a few red flags, mostly because it was rerouted around half of the frontier with a quick stop off at Jupiter, just to make sure the fact that a lot of Hyeon Kim's earnings ended up in the hands of the associates of one Tae Joon Park got lost somewhere along the way.

That was a much bigger problem than Tae Joon had anticipated, and his best bet, he realised, was to make the money go somewhere else.

To someone they knew. 

Someone they trusted. 

Someone he would have a least a slightly plausible excuse for giving money too, whilst at the same time having a reason to hide the fact as well.

The first person he had gone to see with this particular predicament had been Loba. While he may not have liked her, more than he didn't really like anybody, anyway, he had to admit that when it came to matters of wriggling out of a tight legal bind, she was far more well versed than he was. 

First of all, after he had given her the least incriminating version of the truth he could muster, she had made desperate fun of him for not being more careful, because apparently rerouting his fund a through a dozen different servers and no less than four offshore accounts was 'amateur hour'. It soon became obvious to Tae Joon that Loba actually had someone in her employ who took care of all of that for her rather than doing it herself, but he was asking for her help and he wasn't likely to get it by being snarky. 

"It's really very simple, darling," she had drawled at him while he fidgetted beneath her laser-guided stare. "Find someone they don't want to piss off, someone they would rather keep around, and make just enough paper to look as if the money was going to them."

Tae Joon frowned at her. "Why would I need to make it such a convoluted secret, though?" 

Loba just shrugged her shoulders delicately. "Perhaps you could say they are your... partner, as it were. But image is everything, and a public relationship with you might not be the best thing maybe?"

Tae Joon's frown had only deepened at this point. "That makes no sense," he muttered.

If anything, her glare had become even colder at his words, and she zeroed in on him, dropping a lot of her haughty manner as she did so. "To you I can see why it would not. Listen to me, Kim. One of your fellow Legends ought to do the trick... you can imagine how well the idea of two us hooking up would go down when they're paying us to kill each other."

Tae Joon could at least see the sense in that, even if the very thought of it made him squirm right down to the synthetic soles of his feet. "How about you?" he asked bluntly.

Loba hadn't even tried to hide her laughter. "Charming. But, sweetheart, what's in it for me?"

-

Tae Joon's main problem was that finding someone else meant explaining to them why, and he didn't want to expose himself more than he already had. After Loba, his next instinct was to go to Ajay, who was professionally bound to do what was best for him and not tell anyone why. The problem with that was that Ajay came from a lot of money that she refused to touch, which was so damn suspicious that there were always eyes glued to her finances. Makoa was out of the question, he was far to much on the up and up and Tae Joon wasn't sure he was that great of a liar. The others, well, there were pros and cons all over. Some were robots, others were too upstanding, and at least one of them was already married, apparently.

Of course he knew who the best option was from the minute Loba had turned him down. He just didn't want to think about it.

Elliott was, as he so often claimed to be, perfect, even if it was just for this irritating scam Tae Joon was trying to run. No one raked in the merchandise royalties like Mirage, and no one's status as a bachelor playboy was more valuable. All the more reason for Elliott to pretend he was single, and the fact that he was ever so popular among the shallower of the the Games demographic meant that the Syndicate were more likely to live and let live if Elliott and Tae Joon used this as the reason to keep their 'relationship' on the down low. 

It made sense, but that didn't mean that Tae Joon was happy about it.

Asking Elliott had been an education for Tae Joon, in both pride swallowing and research into whether or not a person could actually die of embarrassment. He hadn't, but it had been a close run thing. 

"So let me get this straight," Elliott had said, leaning back casually on his brown leather couch, surrounded by the winking, smiling images of his own face that made up his preferred decor. "You want me, a charming, roguish, handsome _ten_ of a guy, to pretend to be the arm candy of you, a nerdy little gremlin with screen burn instead of a personality?"

Tae Joon had about eight things to say in response to that, and six of them involved Elliott learning to fornicate with himself. 

And then Tae Joon spotted a decoy out of the corner of his eye and tried not to think about it. 

"Yes... _please_ ," Tae Joon choked out between gritted teeth. 

If there was ever an element that Elliott lived in, it was people asking him for help at great personal cost to their own pride.

"And just run it by me once again why I would do this for you?" he asked, making sure to affect the air of someone who holds an amount of power they really shouldn't over someone who really doesn't want them to have it.

"Because... because you are the only one who can. It means nothing, if that helps. It is _intended_ to be a secret, so you wouldn't have to do anything you might not be... comfortable with." 

Elliott looked away, smirking. "I don't know kid. If you really like me, you could try asking. None of this made up cloak and dagger stuff."

Tae Joon bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep his scathing response at bay. 

"Once they are satisfied with my explanation, all of this can be over, like it never happened." _Please_ , Tae Joon thought in the privacy of his own mind. 

Elliott looked at him. "And tell me again, where is the money going?" Tae Joon looked at him warningly, and Elliott held up his hands and sighed. "Look, of course I'm gonna help you kid. You must be desperate to come to me, given our, well... I just want to make sure this isn't something that's gonna give me the wrong kind of attention."

"An orphanage," Tae Joon said. Technically the truth, but not quite.

Elliott leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "And the reason you can't just say that?"

Now Tae Joon did have to actually lie. "If the money went through the proper channels there would be so much skimmed off it at various points that most of it would never reach the people who really need it. You know how this sort of thing usually works."

Elliott didn't. Elliott smiled in front of the cameras, endorsed aftershave and at the weekends he went party boat shopping. But he also had a fund that went directly to his mom's doctors, and that coupled with the sheer loss in Tae Joon's eyes pretty much had him sold. 

"Ok kid. I'll be your paramour."

"Thank you."

"The apple of your eye."

"...yes."

"He who you cannot live without."

"Elliott..."

"Your one true love."

"Ok, that's--"

"Your snuggle bunny."

"Goodbye Elliott."

-

And all of that would have been totally fine, except that it wasn't. Most of the higher ups were happy to take Tae Joon's rather grim word for it, as well as Elliott's enthusiastic agreement, but the accountancy department was a whole other breed of monster, and they wanted something a little more substantial. Tae Joon had agonized over it for weeks, using Elliott as a sounding board because he was the only one he _could_ speak to about it, until Elliott had snapped and done the unthinkable. 

They were sitting in the workshop, Elliott trying and failing to work on his gear because next to him, Tae Joon was having a crisis. 

"I mean, what more do they want? Should I straddle you at a press conference?" Tae Joon ran his hands through his hair. "No... no... It can't be so public, I know. Perhaps... maybe we could hold hands at dinner? No, that's stupid."

Elliott slammed the screwdriver he was holding down on to the table and turned to Tae Joon with a terrifying look in his eyes.

"They want proof? Fine. Let's give 'em proof."

And with that, Elliott grabbed a washer from his toolbox and slammed himself down on one knee. 

"Hyeon Kim," he said, holding the metal band out in front of him. "Will you do me the honour of marrying me to trick a corporation into thinking we are in a committed, meaningful relationship which will get you off my back and allow me to get some damn work done?"

Tae Joon blinked down at him, frozen in place. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Come on man. It makes sense. Once this is all over, quickie divorce and we can both get on with our lives. Whaddya say?"

Tae Joon shook his head. "That is too much," he said quietly. 

"Is it? Way I see it, it's your best option, so if you can think of a better idea think of it quick. I ain't getting any younger down here."

But Tae Joon, for all of his professed genius, had come up with nothing.

And so it was that he stood in the back room of some run down city office, strapping a worn out tie around his neck and eyeing the lines of the only suit he owned, which had been bought long before he had started running and fighting and accumulating muscle mass and now stretched across his frame like it was about to give out any second. 

"This is ridiculous," he muttered to his reflection, before stepping out of the door and going to get married.

-

Elliott was standing by the officiant in a snazzy suit, a pink carnation in his buttonhole and a winning smile on his face. Tae Joon had to admit that he really did look the part, nervous energy and well, adoration, coming off of him in waves and Tae Joon could only assume that he could see his own reflection in the windows.

He stood next to Elliott, a small smile remembering to settle on his face when he recalled that he was supposed to be in love with Elliott Witt, that this was supposed to be the happiest day of his life, and that one of their witnesses was a jerk from accounting who had showed up to verify the fact.

The other witness was a guy Elliott had paid a thousand credits to pretend to be his uncle. 

The officiant launched into the short version of the ceremony, but still took a little time out here and there to talk about the beauty of love and the sanctity of marriage, which made Tae Joon's stomach clench painfully. 

Tae Joon muttered his 'I dos' while Elliott practically gushed his, clearly loving every awkward moment Tae Joon was being forced to endure, whilst in his head Tae Joon maintained a litany of reasons why he was even doing this. For Mila, for Mystik, for revenge. 

He looked at Elliott, who was holding both of his hands in his own, and suddenly felt guilty.

There wasn't much time to dwell on it, however, as soon the officiant was declaring them well and truly married.

"You may now kiss each other," she said warmly. 

Tae Joon's glanced flicked to the accountancy department's rep, who was leaning forward a little in his chair, and then back to Elliott.

He had forgotten about this part.

"Um--" he began, but then Elliott swept him up in his arms and dipped him low, stopping with his face a mere inch from Tae Joon's.

"Ok?" Elliott asked with just a hint of trepedition.

"Yes," Tae Joon replied quietly. 

Kissing Elliott Witt had not made the list of terrible things that might happen to him while he went out for revenge, but in all honesty, it could have been worse. Elliott's hands were strong on his arms and his kiss was gentle, almost... well, nice. Better than nice. It was warm and felt like longing and love and it made Tae Joon's pulse race as his eyes fluttered closed and he tightened his grip on Elliott. Then reality caught up with him and Tae Joon stopped reciprocating the moment he felt himself start to, and then the same thing seemed to occur to Elliott and he thankfully returned them both to upright positions before Tae Joon could embarrass himself.

There was a pink tinge to Elliott's cheeks now, along with a slightly scared look in his eyes. 

Tae Joon's lips were still tingling and his heart was hammering in his chest so hard he was certain it was about to break free. What the hell had just happened?

He had to gather himself together quite quickly though, as now that the deed was done the officiant was all business, handing them a licence to sign and then ushering them out of the hall to make way for the next couple. 

After a moments hesitation Elliott took Tae Joon's hand in his own and they marched over to the accountant. 

"Happy?" Elliott demanded as beside him, Tae Joon desperately tried to get his breathing under control.

The accountant looked them over. "I will be needing a copy of the licence," he intoned. "Congratulations," he finished flatly, before walking away.

Elliott let go of Tae Joon's hand the minute the jerk had left the room and stepped away, putting a solid three feet of space between the pair of them. They walked one behind the other to the doors and once they were outside and sure that it was safe, there was a moment of awkward gratitude and humility before they made their excuses and went their separate ways.

It was still early when Tae Joon returned to the complex. The wedding had been scheduled for the earliest time available just to get it out of the way, and Tae Joon tried to distract himself from his unwanted thoughts by working on his drone.

It was all useless, though.

Somehow, without even realising it, at some point during this ridiculous scam, Elliott had gotten under his skin. He hadn't seen that one coming, he knew that much. Sure, he and Elliott had been spending more time together in the last month or so, if only because it was necessary to keep up the pretence but at the same time Tae Joon couldn't deny that a few of their hangouts had been independent of any scheme he might be running. 

Every time he closed his eyes he was back in that stupid hall, Elliott surrounding him and kissing him, his chest feeling tight, light headed and confused. The irony of wondering if he even had feelings for someone he had literally just married was not lost on him, and he returned to his room around sunset to hide under his blankets until those feelings went away.

He sat on his bed, brooding. Of all the stupid crap he had pulled over the years, this one really took the prize. The worst part was that he hadn't even been worried about it happening. He was prepared for anything, he often said so himself, but this stuff with Elliott had come out of nowhere. If not for that stupid kissing tradition, he thought as he angrily pummelled his pillow, he could still be happily living in blissful ignorance.

It didn't matter, he told himself firmly. Feelings or not, he and Elliott just couldn't work. Couldn't be. And whatever thoughts he might be having about getting up to go and see him were stupid and wrong and there was no way he was going to act on them.

There was a knock at his door. He opened it to find Elliott standing on the other side, looking nervous but determined. 

"Oh thank god," he breathed huskily, grabbing Elliott by the front of his shirt and yanking him into his room. Elliott stumbled over the threshold as Tae Joon crashed their lips together, desperate and messy as they moved awkwardly, locked together, over to Tae Joon's bed.

Elliott's hands were everywhere as he tried to divest Tae Joon of his shirt, one leg kicking out behind him to shut the door before they fell painfully on to the mattress. They broke apart gasping just to tear some more at each other's clothes, Tae Joon squirming in frustration as Elliott straddled his hips. Tae Joon was completely lost in a pink fog of need and desire as they tumbled together, mouths seeking each other out as the sun sank lower and lower and turned the sky to stars.

-

That night, Tae Joon discovered many things. He discovered that he had very sensitive wrists, that Elliott's scars were numerous and beautiful, and that Elliott was very, _very_ generous. He also discovered the fact that in certain situations he made interesting sounds that made even him blush, and that Elliott slept like the dead.

He found himself curling up against Elliott, naked together in bed and thought well why not? It was his wedding night, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's pouring outside.

There was nothing else but the sound of the rain when Elliott woke up, shaking and sweating, his breath coming in ragged gasps that he bit out of the air. The noise was almost overwhelming. The raindrops shattered on the ground outside, creating a harsh roar that made Elliott feel cold. He looked down to the empty space beside him; Tae Joon hadn't made it out of the garage again tonight, and he sighed. 

The large, rectangular windows of their apartment were covered in rivulets of running water as the rain lashed at them relentlessly. Heart still hammering in his chest, Elliott got up and threw an old shirt over his body. It was one of Tae Joon's, a plain grey thing that was starting to wear through under the arms. Elliott had told him to throw it out a hundred times, and had easily bought him enough replacement clothes that he wouldn't miss one t-shirt, but Tae Joon had so far stubbornly refused. Elliott knew why, and he frowned softly as he padded his way to the window in bare feet.

It was not that Elliott liked the shirt. He almost wished it was. In the distance, Elliott could hear the distant rumble of thunder threatening to come ever closer, and without meaning to he glanced at the closed bedroom door. There was a poster on the back, a torn and battered copy of the periodic table that had followed Elliott from room to room his whole life. It used to be his brothers, back when they were small and squeezed into one bedroom between the four of them, and truth be told Elliott wasn't sure _which_ brother had been the original owner of the thing. It had only fallen into his hands because he was the only one left to take it. 

He looked away and back out at the rain. It was pouring outside. It was loud in the darkness and it turned the glow of the streetlights warm and soft, gentleness amongst the chaos of the deluge. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the cool glass, and the thought rose in his mind unbidden that Tae Joon used to sleep in weather like this.

They'd been together long enough that Elliott knew more than he ever wanted to, even if it was far from everything. He knew he shouldn't be such a coward but when he thought of how Tae Joon had suffered, of how he was suffering still, it made him crumble inside. He was so sad, and so angry, and he had to keep it all bottled up in his chest because he knew it changed nothing. He dimly remembered being just another background player in Tae Joon's life, another reason, he thought as he watched a droplet of water race down the window pane, for Tae Joon to be angry. Perhaps they hadn't ever truly hated each other back then, not really, but Elliott had always been good at putting on a show.

Now at least, he thought as the first bolt of lightning illuminated the room around him like a camera flash, he was something else to Tae Joon. Something better. Something Tae Joon needed, and, though it scared Elliott a little to think it, someone Tae Joon loved and that meant someone else he could lose. 

The rumble of thunder was close behind; the storm must have been pretty much overhead. Elliott's shoulders hunched and his hands curled into fists. Tae Joon was never going to lose him, it was the only thing left to Elliott that he could be sure of now. 

He was about to turn away when movement on the edge of his vision stopped him. He rolled his eyes. The damn fool might have had his jacket on but he shouldn't be outside in this. Elliott quickly slipped on his shoes and his own jacket and braced himself against the rain as he opened the door and headed out to fetch his wayward boyfriend. 

"Tae!" he called into the darkness. It was difficult to see and Elliott was suddenly so afraid. _It's just a bit of rain_ , he told himself, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that the man he loved had decided to venture out into a storm at almost midnight for unknown reasons instead of coming to sleep beside him in the bed they were supposed to share. 

He could feel panic building in his chest and tears picking his eyes as the rain soaked him through in moments, plastering his curls flat to his forehead as he swiped his hands aggressively to clear the rain from his face. "Tae!" he called again, "Tae, where are you?"

The jacket he was wearing was not waterproof and soon the t-shirt beneath was stuck like a second skin to his torso, Tae Joon's shirt, the one he wouldn't throw out because it was the last thing he had now that used to belong to the man he used to be. Elliott told him to throw it away not to be unkind, but because looking at it made him sad, made them both sad, and Elliott wondered if Mila ever wore it. He had to guess she didn't, or Tae Joon would never have even let Elliott near it. 

"Tae, please!" He was panicking now, scared not only for the darker thoughts that had troubled him so much lately but just because no one should be out in this kind of weather. Not him, not Tae Joon, not ever.

He wondered just when it was that Tae Joon began to slip away from him again, and what the hell was wrong with him that he hadn't noticed. At first Tae Joon had seemed almost happy, he'd been more relaxed, softer and not at all what Elliott had been expecting when they somehow found each other in a different light one day. How they had both somehow managed to build something out of whatever it had been that they had before, how they had become something that all logic said they should never be. 

He remembered the moment well, it was one of his happiest memories, the day he realised he was in love with Tae Joon Park.

"Tae!" The rain seemed somehow heavier now. 

It had been raining that day, too, but not like this. It had been a fine mist, and Elliott had been out in the training yard and ready to bolt because this sort of rain did terrible things to his hair. Tae Joon had been a little way off, adjusting something on his drone and Elliott had stopped in the rain to watch him. They'd sort of become friends of late, the animosity between them had become too exhausting to maintain, and it turned out that once they packed all the childish insults away they actually complimented each other quite well.

Tae Joon had looked up from his drone and Elliott had braced himself for a cutting remark. Instead Tae Joon had smiled at him, shrugged and asked what he was looking at without any venom. Like he didn't hate Elliott. And Elliott, who was as smart as the next guy and twice as handsome, had taken an embarrassingly long time to realise why the hacker was always on his mind, why he missed him when he wasn't around and why he got so excited at the prospect of seeing him again. But that day, in the firing range underneath a drizzling sky, Elliott had realised he was falling in love.

"Tae, come on, this isn't funny!" Another rumble of thunder shook the air as Elliott continued to search. There was a cold feeling coiling in his stomach now. Elliott had always been afraid that one day he would wake up and Tae Joon would just be gone. He had almost been prepared for it, but not really. As soon as Tae Joon had told him the truth he'd also told him that one day he might have to disappear again, and Elliott had to be certain he knew what he was getting into.

For Elliott there was no question, because no matter what happened, Tae Joon would _always_ be worth it. 

That didn't mean that Elliott was ready for it, though. That he'd be able to handle it. 

His chest felt like it was being pressed in on all sides and he slowed his stride to catch his breath. He was gone. Tae Joon had left him in the middle of the night and Elliott was alone once more.

"Elliott?"

Elliott looked around to see Tae Joon hurrying towards him, hunched over against the rain, his jacket pulled tight against his body. 

"Elliott, what the hell are you doing out here?" Tae Joon demanded. He looked angry but worried too as Elliott grabbed at him wildly and pulled him tight against his chest. Elliott was sobbing into his shoulder now, his body shaking with each choked out sound. 

"Elliott, Elliott what's wrong?" Tae Joon said quickly, pulling away and taking Elliott's face in his hands, eyes searching.

"You... I thought you left me. I couldn't find you. I..."

Tae Joon sighed and dropped his hands, taking Elliott by the wrist and dragging him back inside.

They stood for a moment in the hall, shivering and dripping on to the floor.

"I had to get the damn cat in, she bolted at the thunder," Tae Joon explained irritably as he began to peel off his sodden clothes. "Went to see you and you were gone," he growled as he dropped his jeans into a pile on the floor. Elliott looked sheepish as he kicked off his sneakers and he couldn't quite understand what he had done to make Tae Joon so angry. "I look out the window and there you are, stumbling around in this like an idiot." Tae Joon jabbed a finger at the door. 

"I saw you, I was looking for you!" Elliott said, feeling suddenly defensive. He pulled the soaking t-shirt over his head with some difficulty.

Tae Joon let out a sound of derision and shook his head.

"I didn't know about the damn cat," Elliott continued, and he was angry now. He was so scared and now Tae Joon was being moody with him and it wasn't fair. "I thought... I thought you left."

Tae Joon tossed his head but then he seemed to consider Elliott's words. He sighed heavily and after a cautious look at the other man he stepped closer.

"I... I'm sorry. I just... you weren't in our bed. You weren't there and I didn't know where you were and I..." Tae Joon trailed off because Elliott knew that if he couldn't control the rising panic in his voice then Tae Joon would just stop speaking all together. 

They thought they'd lost each other. Elliott laughed mirthlessly. 

"Why didn't you come to bed? Again?" he asked, his voice small, all traces of anger gone now.

Tae Joon looked at him sadly. "I couldn't sleep. I'm having more trouble with it again lately. It's nothing you've done. It's not you."

Elliott nodded. "Isn't it though? I used to be the reason you slept better, I used to be the reason you went to bed at all."

"You still are, this is... I used to stay awake all night, sick and scared and angry, for what they did to Mila, what they might do to me. And you... you're right. You did make it better for a while."

Tae Joon was close now but they were both in their underclothes and shivering like mad. Tae Joon took his hand and lead Elliott to the bathroom, passing him a towel and they both began to dry themselves off.

"I don't make it better any more?" Elliott felt stupid and not like himself at all. He was supposed to be the strong one, the one who made things right. He wasn't supposed to fall apart like this.

Tae Joon dropped his towel and stepped right in front of Elliott, one hand on his waist as the other came to rest lightly on his cheek. "You make everything better. But you also give me another reason to be scared. You are someone I cannot lose." He pressed a gentle kiss to Elliott's frozen lips and smiled at him. "I'm so in love with you Elliott it keeps me up at night."

Elliott laughed, relieved and overwhelmed all at once and he was for once lost for words as he captured Tae Joon's mouth instead. When he had woken up to the sound of the rain he had been dreaming, dreaming of a lost kid on the streets of Suotamo, alone and afraid, and Elliott's heart had broken as he tried to reach into the past and rescue Tae Joon, but he couldn't. He couldn't protect him from the rain, nor from all the hardship he was about to go through.

But now, he thought, as Tae Joon's fingers moved through his soaking wet curls, as Elliott's hands moved lower on his back, Elliott knew that he would always be the one who brought Tae Joon in from the rain.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna start moving some of my older Tumblr prompts here from ages ago, but because I am so smart I didn't save them so it's taking a while. I hope you enjoy if you haven't seen them before. :)
> 
> This prompt was Dangerous and Longing

It's late. Above him, the sky is inky black and spotted with stars. He thinks he's been here for hours. The hollow of his chest is starting to ache with the cold. She would have his head for that if she were here. She'd scold him and make him move, telling him he'll catch his death if he doesn't. He lifts his knees and lowers his wrists upon them. She's not here. She'll never be here again. The stars are beautiful overhead, and he knows he's going to sit here all night if he lets himself, even though it's dangerous. He could get sick, breath frozen in his lungs, blood running through his veins like ice, dying up here in the body of a liar. It might not be so bad.

Below him on the street he sees a familiar face. He forgets her name, he suspects out of guilt as she hurries along, clutching a jacket tightly around her frame, head bowed against the wind that has begun to pick up. She's not a fighter, she works in the tech department, and helps to fix all their little toys. Fern, he thinks. Maybe Francis. 

She was nice. She was clever and she spoke in a warm voice and her laughter was pretty. She would place a hand on his arm and say his (fake) name all the time and he was so happy not to be alone that of course he hadn't realised until she had asked him out.

He'd fumbled and handled it badly and now his drones are sent down to the lab without him.

He gets it. Of course he does. He's never been overly taken with his own appearance but the Man of Mystery persona he has been forced to implement is certain to get a few motors running. She'd been so cool about it, too, it was just a coffee, not a marriage proposal, and his exile is one all of his own. It is jealousy. Jealousy that he doesn't have the same kind of courage to just ask, to see if what he feels could lead somewhere and know for sure, so his feelings have festered into dangerous things, things that could break him if prods so he leaves them well alone. 

As if summoned by his thoughts, Elliott opens the door behind him. They're friends now, good friends, almost best friends because Tae Joon can't stop doing things that slowly kill him, it seems. 

"Thought I might find you up here," Elliott says. Tae Joon waits for him to tell him to move, but instead Elliott produces a thick wollen blanket and drapes it around Tae Joon, a flask of something hot being set on the ground beside him. Then Elliott sits without invitation, legs crossed, and leans back on his gloved hands to look at the stars. 

Tae Joon wants him to talk. Part of his attraction has to do with the fact that Elliott's voice is calming and constant, a distraction, yes, but in another way... not. He forgets about one pain only to be reminded of another, and that's what his life has become as he chooses which agony is easier to live with. 

He shivers, his hands curl into the blanket and he feels Elliott's shift closer, an arm across his shoulders. He feels the soft breath of Elliott's laugh at his temple.

"Yeah, I know, but you'll freeze if I don't," Elliott's says, not entirely without awkwardness. He has a reputation, and being here on this roof with his arm around another guy under a starlit night would make it take a serious hit. 

_If he knew_ , Tae Joon thinks, and the body around his feels cheap and a violation, because he doesn't know. He doesn't have a clue. It never even occurred to him to wonder about all the times he caught Tae Joon staring, the way Tae Joon leaves the room when he starts to talk about his latest hook up, the fact that for every inch Elliott closes between them, Tae Joon takes a whole step back. 

Tae Joon pulls away, heart breaking, and Elliott sees the tears in his eyes and his whole body goes rigid. He doesn't know how to handle that, he's not used to people having those kinds of emotions around him. There's a reason he's surrounded himself with lust and hero worship - he's had enough of watching other people cry.

"You ok buddy?" he tries with a nervous laugh.

Tae Joon looks away, embarrassed, scrubbing the tears from his eyes frantically. "I'm sorry." It's the first time he's spoken in hours and the words are broken and quiet. "Just a bad day."

He knows that Elliott can understand that at least. He feels Elliott's hand suddenly against his cheek, fingers frozen from the cold and he turns back. Elliott looks so concerned, so sorry, and Tae Joon swears he sees love there. Maybe he does. Maybe being raised surrounded by men has taught him not to say it, but of course Elliott loves his friends, just like everyone else does. He takes a risk and leans in a little closer, but nothing too bold. 

Elliott's shoulders drop as Tae Joon forces himself to smile. "I'm fine."

The hand falls away from his cheek and Elliott stands up, offering a hand to Tae Joon. "It's no excuse for frostbite," he says sternly. "Don't want anything important to drop off."

Tae Joon laughs because that's what Elliott wants to hear, and Elliott grabs the flask and trips on the blanket and in one awful, terrible move, the universe plunges him straight at Tae Joon, who catches him because it feels like that was what he was made to do. 

Elliott's a little lower down, leaning against Tae Joon and all he would have to do is dip his head and their lips would meet, frozen under the stars and Elliott's still not moving away. 

He kisses Elliott. 

Elliott scrambles up and away after just a second, and he's backing off like Tae Joon is some wild animal, a hand held out in front of him to keep them apart, his eyes wide in panic. Tae Joon has badly gotten it wrong.

"I- I'm sorry, I didn't-" The words fall out before he can stop them and he steps forward, only to feel it like knives when Elliott steps back. 

"No... no, it's my fault," Elliott insists. He looks suddenly wretched. "I mean, cosy blankets and cuddles under the stars. What the hell were you supposed to think?" He opens the door that leads down into the building. "I just... I didn't know. I'm sorry."

He leaves and Tae Joon watches the door close behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Its not what it looks like

Elliott was a great cook. From the first day he had picked up a spatula, everything he made was delicious gold, from simple scrambled eggs to his famous pork chops. He excelled, a natural in the kitchen, and though many of the others would never admit it, seeing Elliott his Kiss the Cook apron was cause for excitement, because it meant they were in for a treat. Yes, Elliott Witt was a fantastic chef.

He was also _clumsy as fuck_.

The air was thick with steam as a large pot of spaghetti bubbled on the stove. Elliott dragged the back of his hand across his sweaty brow as he chopped peppers and onions, humming away happily to himself. Wiping his hands on his apron, he turned to the fridge to grab some tomatoes, selecting a few promising looking specimens and dropping them into the blender. He was in a world of his own, and didn't notice Tae Joon stepping into the kitchen, glowering as the heavy heat enveloped him. The blender whined loudly as it pureed the tomatoes, and Tae Joon winced at the sound, already peeling off his hoodie in the smothering heat. Elliott grabbed the jug full of red paste and turned, coming face to face with a sweaty, pissed off looking Tae Joon.

"Whoa," he said, startled. He slipped a little on the condesation-slick tiles, and on instinct Tae Joon reached forward and grabbed the pitcher of sauce from his hands, leaning over him to place it on the counter. Elliott had to lean back as Tae Joon pressed against him, his shirt clinging to his back with sweat, his breath short in the cloying heat of the kitchen. The counter dug in painfully at the base of his spine just as Tae Joon's balance was cancelled out by his reach and his feet slipped from beneath him. Elliott tried to grab him before he fell forward and smashed his head in on the counter, but his angle was all wrong and they slipped down on to the floor in a mess of tangled, sweaty limbs.

Elliott was crushed beneath Tae Joon, the sharp cut of the hacker's hips digging into his own, strong, synthetic hands each side of his head. Tae Joon's face was inches from Elliott's own, his brown eyes wide and searching as Elliott tried and failed to break his gaze. Tae Joon's lips parted slightly and Elliott lifted his head just a fraction, his vision blurred around the mouth just inches from his own. 

"Having fun?" Anita asked from the doorway.

Tae Joon jumped up so fast it was as if he had been electrocuted. Elliott followed a little more slower, still smarting from his fall.

"It's not what it looks like," Elliott grumbled, kneading his fingers at the base of his spine. He didn't care that Anita was smirking at him, it was... whatever. He'd been caught in far more awkward situations with far less innocent explanations, and Elliott was not an easy man to fluster.

"The idiot fell," Tae Joon said quickly, and it seemed that there was something else to add to the list of things that he and Elliott did not have in common. His face was pink, his breath short and his hair plastered down with sweat. He really wasn't making a good case for himself at all.

"Uh huh," Anita said disbelievingly. 

"He did!" he protested in continued detriment to his case. "He slipped on the tile and I should have just let him fall, the moron. Elliott, please tell her."

Elliott rolled his eyes. "First up, the moron thing is getting old, sing a new song pal. Secondly," he said, turning to Anita. "The nerd's telling the truth. I fell on my sexy ass and took him down with me in a cowardly act of self preservation." Anita folded her arms. "Ok, I'm overselling it but really, it's not what it looks like."

Anita suddenly realised that she really didn't care and left them to it. Tae Joon looked over at Elliott, and let out a humph of irritation. 

"You're welcome," Elliott said.

"And you're clumsy," Tae Joon replied, but he was suddenly giving off a very strange energy. Elliott pulled at his sweaty shirt, and maybe it did take a lot to get Elliott flustered but that didn't mean it never happened.

Elliott cleared his throat and took the boiling pasta off of the heat. 

"It is a shame," Tae Joon said behind him, his voice low.

"It's fine, not even boiled dry," Elliott said airily.

"Not that," and Elliott felt him before he turned back around. Tae Joon had Elliott's back against the counter again, hands each side of him and a predatory look in his eyes. "It is a shame that it wasn't what it looked like."

Elliott swallowed, but contrary to the belief of a particularly annoying hacker who was currently licking a stripe up his throat, he wasn't an idiot.

"Well, let's see what we can do about that, then," he said, his voice low.

-

Renee happily took in the sight of the mound of pasta and sauce that Elliott had placed in front of her, lifting her fork as she inhaled the delicious aroma. Just as she was about to dig in, something jerked in her mind.

 _Don't eat that_ , the voices warned.

"What? Why not?" she asked.

 _Look, it's probably fine, the voice continued. But Elliott and the hacker just finished screwing in the kitchen ten minutes ago_.

Renee dropped the fork and left the kitchen, rolling her eyes at Elliott and Tae Joon, who was still lingering in the background. "Oh, real nice, guys," she said irritably, and went to find a vending machine.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Truth or dare - for chini

Anita Williams was a lot of things. A soldier, first and foremost, above all things and as constant as the day was long. Right now, however, she was drunk off her ass, what with it being her birthday and all, and she wanted to play Truth or Dare.

Tae Joon was not drunk, but fuck it all if he wasn't getting there. What had started as a beer being pressed into his reluctant hand as he stepped through the door to the lounge had ended up as him being willing participant to sitting in a circle with a few of the others, and empty wine bottle in the centre and a mischevious glint in Anita's eye as she spun it with gusto.

It landed on Pathfinder, who couldn't get drunk but who was pleased as punch to be there.

"Truth or dare?" she slurred.

"Hm, dare," the robot replied after a moment's deliberation. 

Anita grinned. "I dare you to give Rev a kiss."

Revenant was standing in the corner of the room looking like he could happily kill everyone in it. 

"We don't have mouths," Pathfinder pointed out.

Anita shrugged. "Improvise."

Pathfinder stood up under the watchful eye of many amused legends and approached the surly murder bot.

"I have been dared to kiss you!" he announced without preamble. 

"Try it and I'll gut you like a fish," came the response.

Pathfinder returned to the circle a few moments later, a sad face on his display. "I failed friends," he said.

Anita snorted. "You have to forfeit then. I'll go easy on you. You have to spin this round."

Pathfinder seemed overjoyed as he spun the bottle. It rocketed out of the circle and smashed against the wall.

"Most of the shards landed on Hyeon!" Ajay crowed happily, taking another swig of her violently green cocktail.

"Ok friend, truth or dare?"

Tae Joon glowered, but the warmth in his navel won out in the end. "Truth," he muttered.

"Ok, who is the person you least like to be on a squad with?" Pathfinder asked.

"Mirage," Tae Joon answered without hesitation. The man himself was also sat in the circle, and looked so devastatingly hurt that he immediately wanted to take it back. And yet, he didn't.

He didn't because every quiet drunk impulse he'd had all night had been telling him to tell his real truth. The sight of Elliott Witt was driving him to distraction, making his body thrum with desire, desperate to tell him that, actually, he was pretty amazing, and beautiful, and, so help him, sexy. Elliott made him feel stupid and loved up and ridiculous, not anything he was used to feeling, and the worst part was that he couldn't understand why. Why Elliott, of all of the available options, was the one who made him feel light headed with need. 

"Wow, you didn't even have to think about that," Elliott said, with a poor attempt at light heartedness.

The party continued on, with more rounds of the game which ended with Octavio trying to get Caustic to slow dance with him, before everyone was so hammered it was definitely time to call it a night. Tae Joon went to bed with an uncomfortable feeling in his gut, unable to fall asleep despite his drunken state.

There was a knock at his door.

Welcoming the distraction, he opened it, only to come face to face with Elliott looking dejected and miserable.

"Truth or dare?" the trickster asked forlornly. 

Tae Joon hesitated. "Truth," he said.

"Why do you hate me?" Elliott asked.

He had such a raw thing emanating from him, like despair and heart break and Tae Joon had to fight not to grab him and kiss him there and then. He paused, thinking, and then he figured why not? Tell the truth for once, be honest, put Hyeon Kim away and say something real for once.

"Because it's easier than telling the truth," he muttered.

Elliott looked at him strangely, and yet, with hope. "Which is?" he chanced.

"I..." His courage failed him, and he went to shut the door, but Elliott placed a firm hand against it.

"Please," he begged.

"I want you," Tae Joon confessed. "I want you so much I hate it. You're all I can think about, and it's killing me because after everything I've done, all the awful things I've said, you could never feel-"

He was silenced by Elliott's lips on his own, and he was scared at first but gave in quickly. They stood there on the threshold of Tae Joon's room, locked together as if this was something they had always been. Elliott's hands moved to his face, taking the cool cybernetics beneath his fingers as he poured something indescribable into the embrace.

They broke apart, both short of breath. "I dare you to invite me in," Elliott said in a low voice that sent jolts of electricity to all the right places. 

"Come in," Tae Joon answered, his voice heavy with lust. The truth was something he always strived for, and as he and Elliott fumbled against one another, Tae Joon realised he had never known it could feel so good.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: oh god I'm in love with them, aren't I?

Ajay's chin was resting on her hand, her eyes half closed as Hyeon's words washed over her like so much white noise. She lamented the loss of her gloves as she became slowly aware of drool beginning to pool in her palm, her brain entering a soporific stupor as the hacker went on and on.

"... as if he wanted to get shot. How is anyone supposed to get anything done when he behaves in such a way?" 

"Uh huh," Ajay said, her voice flat and sleepy.

Hyeon didn't even seem to notice. "And did you see the way he tried to take on all three of them? Idiot."

"Mm."

"Of all the squads I could get stuck with. I mean, not you, of course, you're great at this, but him? How the hell does a man like that even get here?"

Ajay sighed and switched hands, stretching out her shoulders a little. "Maybe he faked it," she said airily. "Always said dat boy could charm his way inta anythin'."

For some reason, her words seemed to trigger something in Hyeon and he excused himself. Ajay waited until he was out of sight before dropping her head on the table. It was going to be a long season.

-

"It's everywhere."

Ajay glared at the microwave, as though she could somehow make her food cook quicker with just the power of her mind. 

"Everywhere I look, there it is. His grinning, stupid face."

Ajay admitted defeat and turned around. "He has a lot of fans, hun."

Hyeon snorted. "Don't know why. Just cause he's pretty."

Ajay narrowed her eyes in sudden understanding. "If you say so."

Hyeon held her gaze, before they were both interrupted by the ping of the microwave. 

"Popcorn?" Ajay asked innocently.

-

"... and before that it was Penny. Now, she was a gymnast and let me tell you, it showed." Elliott leaned smugly back in his chair while Octavio slapped his metallic knee and Ajay raised an eyebrow while Elliott went on. She wasn't really watching him though, she had her eyes fixed on Hyeon, who was sitting some way away looking as though someone had pissed in his cereal. 

"And before that it was... it was... man, what was his name?"

"His?" Octavio asked, bouncing in his chair.

Elliott spread his hands out and shrugged. "Hey, the Mirage Voyage accepts all passengers." He said with a grin.

Ajay decided it was really none of her business if Hyeon sat up a little straighter. 

-

"Settin' shield, healin' ya."

Things were not going well. This was the second time Ajay had picked Hyeon up and the whole squad didn't have a shield cell to share between them. There was a clatter as someone tossed a frag in their general area, and it was a scramble for all three of them to get out of the way. 

"I'm outta ammo," Elliott complained as covering fire forced them to duck into a small building at the edge of the Epicentre. 

"I can spare some heavy," Ajay said, checking her pack. Elliott shook his head. 

"Need shells. Crypto?"

Hyeon tossed a meagre eight bullets at Elliott. It might as well have been one of his own kidneys, such was the glare he gave Elliott afterwards. 

"Thanks," Elliott said, reloading his Eva. 

"Don't mention it," Hyeon muttered. 

There was a sudden eruption of gas around them, bright green and choking. Elliott pointed to the door in between choking gasps. "We gotta move," he wheezed.

They managed to scrape their way to Capital City, Elliott firing wildly as they went before his gun clicked it's indication that it was spent. 

"Crap," Elliott muttered. There was another team on their heels, and they knew they were done for.

Caustic barrelled into the tower block they were cowering in, taking off half of Elliott's health before Ajay dropped him with her Flatline. The chemist tried to crawl away as Ajay let her drone out to play, but Hyeon finished him off and began checking through his things. Elliott crawled over, staying low as he healed when the thunk of an arc star made them all sit up and take notice. 

"Crypto, move!" Elliott shouted. The hacker was desperately trying to grab more shells from Caustic's box, so Elliott got up and pushed him roughly to the side, just as the blast from the arc star erupted and took him down.

Hyeon was thrown against the wall, while Renee stormed the building, Elliott in her sights. Ajay peppered the petite woman with heavy rounds and she dropped, with no chance to bleed out. 

"Last one down and a boom boom!" Ajay sang, but her words fell on deaf ears.

"Elliott!" Hyeon shouted, dropping to the trickster's side. "You're alright," he whispered to himself in a plea. "You're still in this." He slammed a res shot into Elliott's chest, then offered him his hand to get him back on his feet. 

Ajay couldn't help herself. Despite the carnage all around, she took a moment to smile slowly to herself. 

-

Elliott seemed... miserable. He was sitting alone in the lounge, turning his phone over in his hands and staring at nothing. Ajay was standing at the counter in the kitchen, watching him. She knew how things were with his mom. He'd come to her once, a while ago now, asking how these things usually went, if she would ever be anything like her old self again. Ajay had offered comfort but she hadn't lied, it wouldn't have been right, and it seemed as though Evelyn Witt was having a bad day. 

Hyeon came and stood next to her. "Is he alright?" he tried to ask nonchalantly.

"No, hun," Ajay replied softly.

-

The season was drawing to a close. There was one match left and then it would all be over for a few weeks, affording all the legends some time to rest and recuperate. As usual, Elliott was holding a party at his bar for them all, and spirits were high. The man himself was in the centre of a small crowd, telling jokes and stories and earning laughter and wistful looks in return. Ajay was sat in a small booth playing with a paper umbrella, when Hyeon slid in next to her.

"Just look at him," he began.

Something inside Ajay snapped.

"If it bothers ya that much, just tell him how ya feel!" she spat. 

Hyeon blinked at her. "What?"

Ajay rolled her eyes and slumped back in her chair. "I've spent the whole season watchin' you watchin' him! It's enough to drive anyone mad. Just... tell him you like him and stop bein' such a dick about it."

Hyeon let out an entirely unconvincing laugh. "I have no idea what you mean," he lied.

Ajay huffed and shook her head. But then, as Hyeon's eyes roamed all over, seeing nothing, she understood. 

"Oh man, you really don't, do ya? How messed up ya gotta be?"

Hyeon was now staring at her, open-mouthed.

"You love him, idiot."

Hyeon spluttered into his drink. "No. That's... no I don't. I don't even like him! I definitely... Don't..." He trailed off and Ajay waited patiently.

"Oh my god, I'm in love with him."

"Finally! Took ya long enough."

Hyeon was at full blown panic now. "What do I do?"

"Tell him? But maybe, don't use the 'L' word. You might spook him."

Hyeon nodded, running his sweaty palms over the legs of his pants. "Right, right."

Hyeon nodded, running his sweaty palms over the legs of his pants. "Right, right."

"Just, I dunno, tell him you think he's great. He likes that."

"Yeah..." Hyeon said, now looking over at Elliott. 

"Maybe tell him you think his holograms are cool. Compliment his hair. Don't mention his last match and for goodness' sake Hyeon, don't call him an idiot."

Hyeon nodded. "Alright. Got it. Here I go."

"You ain't moving."

"I'm working up to it."

Ajay huffed and tossed back the rest of her drink. Then she stood up.

"Hey Ell!" she hollered across the bar. "Come here! Drone Boy's got somethin' to say to ya."

Elliott disengaged from his current group and began to saunter over. Ajay turned to Hyeon, who was wide eyed and sweating a little.

"Ya welcome," she said sweetly. "Now don't screw this up."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok, here's a prompt from anon.
> 
> "Elliott watching Tae Joon sleep, with extra angst."
> 
> Hope this is satisfactory.
> 
> If you want me to write a prompt for you, feel free to ask :)

It wasn't a guilty pleasure, not really.

It was a rare one.

It wasn't often that Elliott woke up before Tae Joon. Falling in love with him meant falling in love with everything that came with him. The old take out cartons that littered his room, the way his nose wrinkled when Elliott hit him with a particularly crude innuendo, and, unfortunately, his poor sleeping habits. 

Elliott couldn't blame him. If he had nightmares the way Tae Joon did, he'd have trouble sleeping too.

Elliott had nightmares, nightmares where he was alone, where his voice was unheard, but they were figments. They were his own insecurities playing out and they didn't happen that often. 

Tae Joon's nightmares were memories. 

Only once had Elliott been brave enough to ask him what he saw when he slept, and it had been moments before he had been begging him to stop, overwrought with the terrible images his mind supplied, where Tae Joon was frightened and hurting and alone.

He'd never felt an anger quite like it. An almost overwhelming urge to break and burn everything, to destroy and take back every last shred of joy they ever stole from Tae Joon. To feed his life back in to him, to make him whole again with every person he tore apart, with his bare hands if he had to because _how dare_ anyone ever hurt a man like him, a man who had done nothing but try, who took each knock with dignity and grace from the sheer fuck-awfullness of the world until it finally took too much from him and forced him into hell.

Elliott was under no illusions. He was a reprieve. He was the place Tae Joon could go to hide from it all, just for a little while and if he loved him, that was great, but for Elliott it would always be more than enough to know that when Tae Joon was with him, he was just that little bit happier. A little more safe. And a lot more loved. 

Elliott could never take a thing from him, could never ask or want but he was deeply, relentlessly in love and he needed Tae Joon, needed every part of him now, and living without him, just the idea of it, made him cold and afraid. He lived in fear that one day Tae Joon's real life, the hard and sharp reality he had fallen into would come knocking and steal away the one person Elliott lived and died for in every breath. He was ferociously, furiously in love with him, to the point where it was almost more than he could stand, and as he woke, sleep fogged and warm in the bed they sometimes got to share, Elliott knew as he curled an arm tightly around Tae Joon's sleeping form that he could never let him go. 

It _ached_ to love someone like this. To yearn for him even as he slept beside him, untroubled and at peace for once, to want to gather him close and protect him and assure him that he always had Elliott's heart. 

Elliott pressed his face to the nape of Tae Joon's neck, the warmth and safety of sleep assaulting his senses. He missed him, it was stupid but true, and there was a bitter pit of jealousy in his stomach that he couldn't share this rare moment of peace with him. Awake, Tae Joon was always just a little bit scared, a little too aware, and Elliott could use every trick he knew, words and kisses and touches and worship, but it was always there.

His hand crept up of its own volition and brushed the hair at his forehead, soft and familiar, and Elliott looked down at Tae Joon and sighed. He never really knew much of beauty, true brilliance and radiance, not until he had seen Tae Joon sleep. Every frown, every worry was washed from his brow, his features relaxed and comforting as he slept, unaware of the world around him, and unafraid.

He would wake soon, and the whole macabre dance would start all over. Elliott wondered how much of his quiet whispers of adoration, his kisses and his embrace, how much of it was just for Elliott's benefit, committing acts he could no longer feel because the world did not allow people like Tae Joon Park to fall in love. If Elliott were nothing more than a distraction, a reason for him to forget, well, he could take the hit, because Elliott had never had purpose until he became the reason that Tae Joon could smile again.

Elliott watched as a small breath hitched somewhere in Tae Joon's chest, a biological hiccup that sent a shockwave of panic through Elliott's very soul. To watch Tae Joon at peace was to see the stars themselves, and he would fight to the last to make sure it endured. 

His arm tightened, foolishly perhaps but purely out of need. They'd shared closeness like this before, closer even, when desire eclipsed everything and Tae Joon would say his name like a promise, but it was all temporary. They made love, but it felt hollow sometimes, perfunctory, and Elliott could never be sure that he wasn't just a faceless form above the other man, a means to an end but right now, in this moment as Tae Joon's subconscious reacted to his touch and he moved in closer to Elliott, he could almost be certain it was real.

"I love you," he whispered at Tae Joon's temple, the words ghosting through his hair and out into the world. One day Elliott would be able to be honest, to declare his truth for all the world to see, but he knew he had to wait. Truth came in many forms, and it was Tae Joon's that needed to be found and exposed and made solid, to be paraded and consumed and understood, to free him from the nightmare his life had become.

A soft snuffling came from Tae Joon at Elliott's words and he froze, afraid all over again that he had disturbed him. He used to be so much more, Elliott thought, a man in his own right but at the same time almost nothing, hollow and directionless, a shell for others to fill with their ideals. Tae Joon had no such thoughts of him, no idolation. Elliott was what he was and Tae Joon needed whatever that turned out to be, as much as it helped with everything. His quest was dangerous and not for Elliott's hands, but Elliott who could not help but who would always _try_ , because what else was he now but the stuttering light in Tae Joon's darkness? 

"I love you so much," he said, affirming his own truth in the still darkness because he loved him, he loved him completely and the fact completed _him_. Elliott had been empty and Tae Joon had filled every space, and he watched him sleep and loved him and loved him and loved him.

_-_

He was woken in the morning by the hint of breath at his ear, soft and calm and wonderful. 

"I love you too, more than I ever thought I would be able." 

He stayed still and silent, and wondered if, in some way, it made Tae Joon happy to watch him sleep. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note this was written long before we found out that Elliott is actually kind of broke.

Of course it would have been too much to expect his squadmates not to gravitate towards the massive portal that seemed to have appeared overnight. Like moths to a flame, or, Elliott thought as his readout pinged two downed teammates within seconds of landing, lambs to the slaughter. No worries though, he told himself with a Mozambique clutched tightly in his hands. He had this, no problem.

An energy round glanced at his shoulder; some sneaky bastard was perched up on the hill with a triple take and his only hope was to dive into the broken labs and hope there was loot inside instead of certain death. He skidded down, kneepads sparking against the metal floor, and was rewarded for his idealistic tendencies when he found a Hemlock and some basic armour. There was a ringing in his ears as his squadmates unrealistically hoped he could retrieve their banners. He had more chance of turning into a chicken and dancing the fandango, but it was whatever. He was alone, barely armed and in the middle of what sounded like the clusterfuck of the century. Time to hide, Witt.

He dashed through the corridors, trying not to look as Caustic sprayed his noxious gas in Wraith's face just on the edge of his vision, and clattered with all of the grace of a sack of wrenches into a dark, shadowy corner. It was so dark he could barely even see his hand in front of his face, but at least the fighting was in a room far from him for now. He took stock of what he had. Very little, and a bleeding shoulder. Not exactly the stuff dreams were made of.

With a groan of inevitability, Elliott turned his attention behind him, and to the heavy metal doors there. When he tried to open them, they remained stubbornly shut, so he resorted to a little percussive maintenance and kicked the shit out of them. They broke apart like paper and he took a moment to appreciate his powerful thighs before a fresh burst of gunfire convinced him that it might be prudent to scurry inside.

There were twenty rounds of heavy ammo on the floor and he snatched them up like a man in the throes of starvation. Reloading his Hemlock, his attention was drawn by a light out of the corner of his eye.

He looked over, staying low, and saw, well, a beautiful stranger. They were hunched low over the console, tapping away while some sort of weird drone hovered next to them, keeping watch. He momentarily forgot about his impending doom and stood, transfixed as whoever this person was worked away, apparently unfazed by the battles all around.

Then the drone beeped, a shrill little whine in the darkness as it spotted Elliott, and the man looked up.

Elliott didn't believe in love at first sight, but he was willing to stake his not unimpressive fortune on lust at first glimpse. Whoever the hell he was, he was hot as fuck, all brooding eyes and chiseled bones, and Elliott was seized by the sudden desire to wrench that ridiculous coat from his shoulders and do things to him that would make a soldier blush.

The man turned, and Elliott was a frozen thing, eyes wide and pulse racing as their eyes met.

The moment didn't last. The stranger nodded at his little robot friend and took off down the doorway beyond, safely kept away from Elliott by the thick glass that separated them.

Now Elliott had a choice. Either follow the sexy stranger or stay where he was and get his teeth handed to him by whoever stumbled across his little hidey-hole. It wasn't a difficult decision, and he unloaded his rifle into the glass, vaulting over the broken shards and giving chase. 

He followed the sound of heavy footsteps further and further into the Labs, reminding himself over and over that he only wanted to talk. He skidded around a corner and into a darkened room lit only by a sickly red light pulsing weakly over the door.

It was a dead end. Game over. He raised his rifle at the shadow in the corner.

"Who are you?" he demanded over the iron sights.

The figure had their hands stuffed into their pockets, and they took a step forward, head bowed and off to one side, as if in defeat.

"I am a pawn, as are you, Witt," he said heavily.

"Is that so?" Elliott replied, trying to sound intimidating. He had the upper hand here, for crying out loud, a gun and his back to the only exit, but the man spoke as if none of those things mattered. He didn't ask how he knew his name; everyone did these days.

The man mover closer still, and Elliott felt his resolve falter as he lowered his rifle.

"I do not want to hurt you," the man said.

Elliott scoffed. "I'd like to see you try," he replied. "I'm the one with the gun here."

"My name is... is Hyeon Kim," he said hesitantly. "I just want answers."

"Answers to what?" Elliott asked.

Hyeon sighed, still moving closer. "What will it take," he began, "for you to lower your weapon completely and never tell another soul you saw me here?"

There was a deep sadness to his words, a resigned tone that told Elliott in no uncertain terms that Hyeon Kim had long since abandoned the idea of pride and dignity. Wherever he was coming from, that place was dark and filled with secrets Elliott never wanted to know. 

Elliott swallowed. He dropped his gun to the ground. "Go," he said gently. "You were never here."

Hyeon walked towards him, stopping only when they were inches apart, close enough for Elliott to feel his breath against his lips.

"Thank you," Hyeon said in a low voice. And then he was gone.

-

Fifteen matches in and not a fucking word. They'd played their parts, groused about each other and kept their distance, but through so many fights and so much time in close proximity something had happened. They never spoke about it, but it was there like a dagger over them every time they ran into each other, and now that they were more than strangers it was getting louder and louder. A particularly gruelling fight had left them both aching and bone sore, and Elliott had gone to his room to rest when someone knocked at the door.

Hyeon stood on the threshold, looking oddly small and contrite, dressed in soft clothes and looking down at his hands.

"What's up?" Elliott asked, trying to sound nonchalant but the fact remained that every glimpse of the hacker had him dry-mouthed and needful. He hadn't meant to fall for him, had tried so hard to believe in the snide remarks and indifference, but that last match, well, it had made it very difficult. Hyeon had picked him up somewhere in the shadows of Skyhook, and as he stood up Hyeon, for whatever reason, hadn't shifted back and they had been face to face for just a moment. Elliott had been convinced that Hyeon wanted him to kiss him.

"May I come in?" 

Elliott stood aside, feeling strange. Hyeon never normally sounded so small. He stepped into Elliott's room, still not looking at him.

"I wanted to... to thank you for what you did that day. Letting me go."

Elliott shrugged and tried to play it cool. "No problem, it seemed right. It's not every day you find an infiltrator but hey, you looked like you had good reason. Maybe one day you could tell me-"

Elliott's babbling was cut off by lips suddenly pressed against his own. His whole body tensed as Hyeon brought his hands up against his cheek and his neck, not gripping but pressing firmly, as if to hold him in place. He loved it for a moment, and in the next he hated it and pulled away.

"Hyeon, you don't owe me anything," he gasped.

The hacker dropped his hands to his sides and took a step back.

"I... I apologise. It's only that I have seen the way you look at me and after what you did for me it only seemed-"

Elliott held up his hands. "Please don't say you think so little of me that I'd... that I'd blackmail you like that or something. Hyeon, no." Elliott's heart felt like a stone in his chest.

Hyeon still wasn't looking at him, but Elliott's words seemed to fix something in Hyeon and he seemed to soften in front of his eyes.

"I like the way you look at me."

Elliott's breath caught in his throat. "I don't know why you were there and I don't want to know but..." Elliott trailed off, running his fingers through his curls. "I know it was a good reason. I know it was important."

Hyeon looked so relieved. "It was," he replied, almost desperately. "But still, you had no reason to let me go and yet you did. I am grateful." He looked up at Elliott at last, eyes genuine and a faint flush on his cheeks.

Elliott threw caution to the winds. "If I kissed you again, right now, you know it's because I want you, right? And if you kiss me back, it has to be because you want me too. No other reason."

"Alright," Hyeon said quietly.

"So... can I kiss you?"

Hyeon inched closer. "Yes," he breathed.


End file.
